15 Tech Gifts to Give the New Parents in Your Life

by Julia Warren

Updated on November 9, 2017

Stocksy

Having a baby is hard, so new parents can use all the help they can get. One day, the not-so-fun parts of parenting might be fully automated (self-cleaning diapers and burp bots, anyone?). But until that day comes, parents will have to make do with what technology has to offer today — and there’s a lot to choose from. Smart innovators are constantly coming up with new gadgets that can make caring for a baby a lot easier. From smart pacifiers to data-rich baby monitors, here are some tech gifts that should help ease stress for the new parents in your life.

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In This Article

1 / 15A Smart Thermometer

1 / 15A Smart Thermometer

2 / 15The Sleep Saver

3 / 15A Device That Finds Everything

4 / 15TV Time On-the-Go

5 / 15A Friendly Monitor

6 / 15The Personal Assistant

7 / 15The Phone Screen Saver

8 / 15The Data Tracker

9 / 15The Cure for New Mom Brain

10 / 15A Long-Distance Thermometer

11 / 15A Safety Check

12 / 15A Bedtime Helper

13 / 15A Helpful Co-Chef

14 / 15A Portable Nightlight

15 / 15The Big Splurge

A Smart Thermometer

Withings Thermo

Why We Love It

For a brand-new parent, just getting a sick baby to sleep for a couple of hours is a big accomplishment. Taking a baby’s temperature is a sure way to wake her up and destroy that much-needed silence. Withings Thermo is a smart thermometer that never needs to touch the skin. The infrared sensors scan the baby’s forehead for the hottest point to give parents a reading in just two seconds. And they don’t even need to turn on the light: The thermometer vibrates two times when it’s done and displays the temperature in large glowing numbers. The data automatically syncs up with an app to allow parents to track temperature readings over time and get health advice based on symptoms, age and fever history.

The Sleep Saver

Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor

Why We Love It

Who knew becoming a parent could instantly cause so much anxiety? Bringing baby home and going to sleep that first night—if you can get any shuteye at all!—causes a whole new crop of worries to race through a new parent’s mind. Is the baby breathing properly? Is she safe? Does she need me? Parents can’t keep a constant eye on baby 24/7, which is why they need the Owlet Smart Sock 2 Baby Monitor to get a little peace of mind. It’s a sock with a built-in sensor that tracks baby’s heart rate and oxygen levels. Readings get sent to a companion app on a parent’s phone and parents will receive an alert if the numbers go outside a preset range. They can even check their phones to see if it’s a false alarm before going into the nursery and disturbing the baby.

A Device That Finds Everything

Tile Mate

Why We Love It

Yes, “mommy brain” is real. Stress and sleep deprivation can really take a toll on a person’s memory. New moms might not remember where they are at any given point, but having Tile Mate means they’ll never forget where they put their keys, diaper bag or anything else they want to keep tabs on. This little Bluetooth tracker attaches to any object. Once it’s attached, moms can use their phone to make the Tile Mate ring when they can’t find it or press the Tile Mate twice to make their phone ring, even if it’s on silent. The Tile app even tracks the last place it recorded any Tile app user being near your item to help parents find keys that were dropped in the park or diaper bags left in the car.

TV Time On-the-Go

Roku Streaming Stick

Why We Love It

Having a baby means you don’t even realize that the next season of your favorite Netflix show premiered three weeks ago. Relaxing with some TV time isn’t the first thing you associate with new parents, but there are ways they can — and should — sneak it into their schedules. Breastfeeding moms, for example, spend a good chunk of the day nursing, so why not catch up on a few episodes of Stranger Things during those hours? The Roku Streaming Stick allows parents to access their subscriptions from services like Amazon, Netflix, and Hulu and check out a bunch of free channels, too. The stick plugs into the back of any HDTV, which means parents can move it from room to room or take it with them on vacation.

A Friendly Monitor

Infanttech Wireless Zooby

Why We Love It

Remember when mom told you she had eyes in the back of her head? Now parents can mean it! This portable baby monitor allows parents to check on baby in the car, at a friend’s house or anywhere on the go. The camera is hidden in a cute, baby-friendly toy with a bendable neck that parents can position to get the best angle. The screen has a suction cup to easily mount it to the car’s dashboard and a split-screen feature to allow parents to check in on two little ones at once. The best part is that parents can use the camera even as their kids age.

The Personal Assistant

Amazon Echo

Why We Love It

At first glance, the Amazon Echo doesn’t seem to have any relationship with babies. But new parents can use this smart speaker as a convenient assistant. They can ask it to play lullabies in the nursery, become a white noise machine, set a timer, recommend a dinner recipe and more. New parents will never tire of saying “Alexa, play Sesame Street songs” or “Alexa, what time is baby’s doctor appointment?” Plus, parents can now download Alexa skills from baby experts like the Boston Children’s Hospital, which can give information about symptoms and provide dosages for over-the-counter medications, and What to Expect, which gives you tips during your baby’s first year of life.

The Phone Screen Saver

Emmzoe Smartphone Handlebar Mount for Strollers

Why We Love It

If you know a mom that has to take endless laps around the park just to keep the baby asleep, then go out and buy this smartphone mount for her ASAP. Parents can take calls, video chat or read, all while keeping both hands on the stroller. And once baby hits 18 months old (it’s best to limit screen time until then), mom can tilt the phone toward the stroller to play fun videos for her little one. The mount’s anti-slip clamp fits most phones and keeps them in place despite any bumps in the road (no smashed phones here). And once your mom friend no longer needs a stroller, the mount can clip onto the air vent of her car or the handlebars of her bike.

The Data Tracker

Hatch Baby Grow Smart Changing Pad and Scale

Why We Love It

Grow is part changing pad, part wireless smart scale. It’s perfect for moms that are concerned that their baby isn’t gaining weight or drinking enough milk at each feeding. Parents can place their little one on the easy-to-clean pad during a diaper change and instantly get all kinds of data sent to the Hatch Baby App. They can track how much their baby ate recently, how fast she’s growing from week to week, and how her weight compares to babies around the world. And the pad looks really great in the nursery. The curved design keeps babies from rolling off the table, the gray color blends with any décor style, and the thick foam is comfortable on baby’s back.

The Cure for New Mom Brain

Itzbeen Pocket Nanny Baby Care Timer

Why We Love It

This amazing baby-care tool was designed by a new set of parents who became so sleep deprived they forgot important details of caring for their baby. (We can relate.) The timer keeps track of baby’s schedule so exhausted parents don’t have to rely on their — understandably shot — memories. There are four timers that can show parents when baby last had a feeding, diaper change, nap or any other event of their choice. There’s even a knob that moms can push to the right or left to signify which breast the baby last nursed on. The soft nightlight allows parents to navigate the nursery without switching on the light and, most importantly, waking up baby.

A Long-Distance Thermometer

Pacif-i

Why We Love It

Save your parent friends from the experience of taking a rectal temperature by getting them this smart pacifier. It sends baby’s temperature to a smartphone or tablet using Bluetooth technology. The companion app tracks the time stamped temperatures over time to create graphs and monitor the trends. This pacifier is a lifesaver when baby has a fever but has finally fallen asleep for the night. There’s no need to wake her up! Parents can even check the temperature from another room to ensure that the nursery stays quiet and dark.

A Safety Check

4moms Self-Installing Infant Car Seat

Why We Love It

Remember when the future promised innovations like flying cars and robotic companions? Who needs those things when we have self-installing car seats? Finally, technology is tackling this dreaded piece of baby gear. Parents no longer have to yank frustratingly on seat straps or sift through dozens of pages in an overly complicated instruction manual. The 4moms Self-Installing Infant Car Seat practically installs itself and comes with an app that takes parents through the process without much stress. The seat automatically levels and tightens to the car’s back seat and it monitors the seat status throughout the ride. It comes with a hefty price tag, but with studies showing that the majority of car seats are installed incorrectly, the price might be worth the peace of mind.

A Bedtime Helper

Fisher-Price Smart Connect Deluxe Soother

Why We Love It

This unique soother allows parents to create a lights-and-sound show that sends their baby off to sleep. They can choose from three sound options and three light options to create a combination that works best for their little one. The soother projects stars, animals, or a soft amber light and can play soothing music, nature sounds, and white noise. Parents control the soother from their smartphones using a Smart Connect app. They can use the app’s Sleep Stages tool to set up a consistent bedtime routine that they know works.

A Helpful Co-Chef

BEABA Babycook

Why We Love It

Before baby arrives, many parents have idealized expectations of how things are going to go. We’re going to fully potty train at six months, limit screen time, and make our own organic baby food. Good luck! Talk to them a few weeks in and they’re just trying to survive on what little sleep they can get. But the BEABA Babycook can make one of those pre-birth dreams come true. It allows parents to make their own baby food in 15 minutes or less. This sleek countertop appliance steams, blends, and reheats food all in one container. New parents can make food from fresh fruits and vegetables or reheat leftovers from the freezer. The process has never been easier.

A Portable Nightlight

Boon Glo Nightlight with Portable Balls

Why We Love It

These extremely cool nightlights can light the way for parents that need to venture into the dark nursery. The three balls can be removed from the base and placed around the room to create a soft glow. Parents can even put one in the crib if they need to see what baby is up to (sleeping, hopefully). A slider at the bottom of the base lets parents choose from five different colors. The balls’ glow fades to darkness after 30 minutes, which allows babies—and big kids, too—to drift off to sleep. This is one of those gifts that parents can get a lot of mileage out of over the years.

The Big Splurge

SNOO Smart Sleeper

Why We Love It

Okay, so you might need to get the whole extended family to pitch in on this gift for a set of new parents, but it is the ultimate wish-list item. It gives parents the thing they need the most right now: a little extra sleep. The SNOO is not just a chic-looking baby bed — though that helps — it’s actually meant to mimic baby’s time inside the womb. And the bed can actually respond and adjust to babies’ needs. The built-in microphones detect noise, like crying or fussiness, to choose the best motions and white noise sounds to soothe baby. Parents can also control the bed from their phones. Each SNOO comes with a “sack” that allows parents to swaddle the baby in less than five seconds (even in the dark). The SNOO Sack clips to the bed to keep baby comfortable — and safe — on her back all night long.

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